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February 24, 2012

a little more...

It is too early to be awake, but in a far off land, hours ahead of here, two people I love just might be settling down to lunch. Or catching a few last winks of sleep before they disembark the airplane and make footprints in the dusty African earth. Perhaps... she is finally breathing in that sweet smoky I'm in Africa air. If I close my eyes, I can almost smell it myself.

Part of my heart is there with them... as I watch their clock and keep the itinerary close at hand. A quick We're here email from my Mom swirled a rush of giddy through my soul and stirred up some of the beautiful in my mind. A friend mentioned that she had hoped I might have a few more stories of Africa to share, and as my heart chases my parents across the world, I realize that this just might be the time to share a little more...

The road climbed up and up through the morning fog. My eyes drifted shut and then opened quickly, catching myself from true sleep. Seeing only the cars in front of us on the narrow road, I let myself drift back to darkness... for just a few minutes. But when we jolted to a stop, and a large bull elephant was the cause of traffic, weariness vanished and excitement overtook me.

The treetops hovered flat, creating a lush green canopy, and it was as beautiful to me as anything I had seen. Acacia trees, like giant bonsai lined the crest of the crater... and as we made our way up and then over, each breath was a gasp. Since we had arrived, the magnitude and vastness of Africa itself amazed me at every turn... and yet, somehow, travelling down into the crater magnified it further. And my smallness, in this great wide world, was more apparent than ever.

6 comments:

After your email yesterday I awoke this morning (too early) thinking of meeting you and my mind naturally went to Africa. Isn't that amazing? So even though I didn't know it, my thoughts were in that country where your parents are now. Prayers for them and you.

hello from sunny florida!

i'm a new england girl﻿, heart and soul... but florida has become part of me over the last 20 years, and it has become home. so here i am. daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend... writer.

i often wonder if that last part is real... i never really knew i was a writer. but the words keep coming. i write to share the gifts that God has showered me with, not to focus on the gifts, but on the grace. i write to make room for more in my mind and heart, and to remember. and when i think maybe the grace words have been used up, He tucks a few more into my soul and i keep writing.